In the folk-horror legend 'The Witch,' composer Mark Korven chose the hurdy-gurdy as a lead instrument to evoke a 17th-century atmosphere. The hurdy-gurdy is a mechanical string instrument that uses a hand-cranked wheel to rub against strings, creating a continuous drone. Korven played it in an abrasive, non-traditional manner to represent the breakdown of the family's sanity. The instrument's ancient, grinding sound provided a 'physicality' that digital music lacks. Because the hurdy-gurdy is essentially a mechanical violin, its sounds are unpredictable and dissonant, which perfectly matched the film's gritty realism. This choice helped establish a new sonic standard for modern horror legends, proving that forgotten instruments of the past are often the most terrifying tools for the future.